If thereās one habit Iāve successfully stuck to over the course of the past several years, itās regularlyĀ packing a lunch. The routine started in college as a way to stop burning cash at the food trucks that lined the edges of campus, without needing to run home in the middle of a busy day of classes to fix myself a meal. Now that Iām a Fully Grown Working Adult, Iāve continued the practice. And thatās largely thanks to myĀ Stojo collapsible storage container.
See, as much as I love packing a lunch to take on the go, I hate using a separate bag to carry it in. As a kid I spentĀ far too many after-school hours retracing my steps to track down theĀ lunch box I always seemed to misplace. Today I prefer to cram everything into my one bag, be it the backpack I used to traipse around campus with, or the leather work tote I carry today. The trusty cylindricalĀ thermos I use to transport hot foods like heartyĀ lentil soups and leftoverĀ curry nestles easily into one side of my bag, but the boxy Tupperware Iād typically use forĀ salads andĀ sandwiches is awkward (and often impossible) to squeeze in among books, a computer, a pouch full of chargers, and (admittedly too many) lip balms.Ā
Thatās why I love my Stojo collapsible box: Not only does it have a slimmer profile than your typical plastic container of a similar capacity, allowing me to slip it into my work bag in the morning without a problem, but it collapses down completely after Iām done using it. The collapsed box is no thicker than a notepad, freeing ample space in my tote on the way homeāa major plus when you work a job that requires you to occasionally lug home, say, aĀ cast-iron skillet for testing.Ā
Stojo is perhaps best known for itsĀ travel coffee cups (which earned an honorable mention inĀ our testing). A group of dads launched the company with those cups, which were designed to be a sustainable alternative to disposable options. Since they collapse and slide into your bag, they donāt sacrifice the convenience offered by tossing your standard paper cupājust slide the tiny collapsed disk into your bag instead of throwing it away. Itās still out of your hands when youāre done drinking coffee. The brand now sells collapsibleĀ bottles,Ā boxes, andāmy favoriteābowls, all of which are made out of the same lightweight silicone and recyclable plastic as those original coffee cups. They also sell foldableĀ straws. Theyāre allĀ cute too: Each product comes in a rainbow of pastel colors, so you can go to town mixing and matching your lunch containers and your coffee cups. Iām partial to the rosy-hued Carnation, though the Sage green is a close second.
All of Stojoās products are also fully dishwasher-safe, which means I can spend less time scrubbing when I get home from the office and more time, well, making my way through this yearās Oscar noms on the couch. Theyāre microwave safe, too. I still default to my tried and true thermos for soupier hot lunches, but itās good to know that I could pack a rice bowl in my box and stick it straight in the microwave to warm it up anytime I choose.
Whether youāve resolved to start packing lunches in 2023, or youāre struggling to keep up the habit, a cute and convenient new food storage solution might be just the motivation you need to stop dropping cash on mediocre cafeteria salads and start bringing actually-good homemade meals on the go. Stojoās little collapsible numbers arenāt just containersātheyāre routine-makers.
